At the X presented by The Faceoff Academy

The race for top FOGO has gotten even closer, as the best of the best continue to show why they are the most respected face off specialists in the league. The battle at the X will become even more important as we get closer to season’s end, so check back each week to find out the best FOGOs in the league in “At the X, presented by the Faceoff Academy.”

1. Chris Eck — Boston Cannons (157-for-256)

Eck had another masterful performance last weekend, taking 21 of 32 face offs from veteran Anthony Kelly. The Cannons were able to turn that possession advantage into a confidence-building win, handing Denver their first home loss in over two years. Eck has been on a tear lately, winning at least 60% of his face offs in four consecutive games, and Boston will need that to continue if they want to stay in the postseason hunt.

2. Greg Gurenlian — New York Lizards (154-for-253)

The Lizards’ leading FOGO shared time at the X this week with Jerry Ragonese, but he was highly efficient when on the field. Gurenlian won 14 of the 20 face offs that he took, keeping him mere percentage points away from the top spot on our leaderboard. Gurenlian and Eck will share face off duties over the next two weeks at the World Games, which should be a dominant pairing for Team USA.

3. Anthony Kelly — Denver Outlaws (133-for-153)

Kelly struggled last week against Eck and the Cannons, winning only 11 of 31 face offs en route to the 17-13 loss. Although the performance hurt his season average, Kelly still has a comfortable lead over the league’s next best face off specialist. His effectiveness at the X is directly correlated to his team’s success: he has won 65% of the face offs taken in Denver victories, while winning just 45% of face offs in the team’s three losses.

Here are the best of the rest: the cumulative ranking of the top 10 guys to take at least 30 face offs for their team this season.